Gardens of all shapes and sizes are fantastic for wildlife.

Our living plant collections provide a great range of homes, foods and breeding grounds for a variety of animals. The gardens also suppport many plants and fungi that have simply made themselves at home. All this life makes our four gardens diverse and thriving habitats in their own right.

We watch and record the birds, mammals, bees, butterflies, moths, dragon & damselflies, hoverflies and many other insects which thrive in our gardens. You can read more about the wildlife seen month by month in the Edinburgh garden in the RBGE Wildlife Blog.

We have been carrying out BioBlitz surveys in each garden. A BioBlitz is a 24 hour event in which a number of naturalists come to the garden and spot as many different species (not counting the cultivated plants) as they can. These are carefully recorded. Visitors are welcome to these events and can take part in the spotting and many other activities which are held throughout the day.

Wildlife highlights in the Gardens

• Edinburgh – Badger, Kingfisher & Sparrowhawk
• Dawyck - Brown Trout, rare moss Orthotrichum pumilum
• Logan - Hummingbird Hawk Moth
• Benmore – Red Squirrel

Birds in Edinburgh Glasshouses: please rest assured the birds come and go freely from the Glasshouses and our staff take great care to respect their welfare.